17 services · Sussex & Surrey
Residential
Extensions, conversions and whole-home projects for homeowners, with site visits across West Sussex, East Sussex and Surrey.
Extensions
Infill Housing Development Design
Gap Sites, Backland Plots and Garden Land Designed to Fit. Nationwide.
Why Use ArchEvolve for Infill Housing Development Design
Small sites succeed or fail on a few metres: a window position, a ridge height, a turning head. ArchEvolve is MCIAT-chartered, models the plot and its neighbours in Revit, and tests overlooking and massing in 3D before a planning officer sees the scheme.
- 15 years of experience
- 350 planning approvals secured
- 500 projects completed
- Revit 3D modelling as standard
- MCIAT-chartered accreditation
Our services
Infill Development and Related Services
Before you buy a plot, our development site appraisals flag constraints early. For sensitive sites, pre-application advice tests the principle with the council. Larger sites move into residential development design, and people building their own home should see self-build design.
20 services · Nationwide
Developers & Commercial
Planning and technical design for developers and commercial clients across England.
Developer services
Site & feasibility
15 services · Homeowners and developers
Planning & Drawings
From the first feasibility check to construction drawings, in the order a project needs them.
01Feasibility & survey
02Planning
03Technical & construction
Infill Development Design for Small and Tight Sites
Infill housing development design is about fitting one or a handful of new homes into an established street: a gap between houses, a corner plot, a backland site behind existing gardens or a yard no longer in use. These sites look simple but attract close scrutiny, because every neighbour is affected. Councils assess whether the new homes respect the character of the street, protect privacy and daylight, and provide safe access, parking and refuse collection. We design to answer those questions from the first sketch.
Common challenges
- New windows that overlook neighbouring gardens and habitable rooms
- Long, narrow access drives for backland plots behind existing homes
- Designs that clash with the scale and rhythm of the street
- Local policies that resist building on private residential gardens
- Refuse collection and fire service access on constrained plots
- Neighbour objections based on loss of light and outlook
How ArchEvolve solves them
- Window positions and separation distances tested in the 3D model
- Access width, passing places and turning designed to highway standards
- Massing, roof forms and materials drawn from the surrounding street
- A planning case built on local policy and the character of the area
- Bin collection points and fire appliance distances checked at layout stage
- Daylight and outlook shown clearly in Enscape views from neighbouring homes
How an ArchEvolve Project Works
Infill sites follow seven stages, from reading the plot and its neighbours to a construction package ready to build.
Plot Review
We review the title plan, planning history, access and neighbouring windows, and give a straight view on whether the plot can take a new home.
Context Model
We model the plot, neighbouring houses and street in 3D using survey data, so heights, distances and levels are accurate from the start.
Massing Options
We test homes in different positions and heights, checking overlooking, outlook and garden sizes for both the new and the existing homes.
Street Design
We develop elevations, roof forms and materials that sit comfortably in the street, supported by Enscape visuals from public viewpoints.
Planning Submission
We prepare drawings, street scenes and a design statement explaining how the scheme responds to its neighbours, then manage the application to decision.
Building Regulations
We prepare technical drawings covering foundations near boundaries, drainage, fire service access and energy performance, coordinated with your structural engineer.
Construction Drawings
We issue a construction package that contractors can price confidently, with details for tight boundaries, retaining walls and shared access where needed.
0
+
years of experience
0
+
Planning approvals
0
+
projects completed
0
M
largest construction project developed
Infill Housing Development Design Across the UK
Seeing the Plot in 3D Before the Neighbours Do
Infill schemes are often refused over their effect on neighbours. ArchEvolve models the site, adjoining houses and street in Revit and renders views in Enscape, so you can test overlooking and scale from a neighbour’s window before you submit.
Street-Level 3D Views
Every infill scheme is modelled in Revit and rendered in Enscape from the street and neighbouring gardens, so the council can see exactly how the homes will sit.
Complete First Submission
Drawings, street scenes and supporting documents are checked against your council's validation list, avoiding the delay of an invalid application on a small site.
Local Policy Research
ArchEvolve reviews each council's design guidance on garden land, separation distances and backland development before fixing the layout, wherever your site is.
Direct Designer Contact
Alex Page handles your infill scheme personally from plot review to construction drawings, so the person you speak to is the person drawing the homes.
Infill Sites Across the UK, Designed Remotely
ArchEvolve designs infill and backland housing for developers and landowners anywhere in the UK, working remotely over Teams with site visits where the plot calls for them.
What counts as an infill housing development?
Infill usually means new homes on a small site within an existing built-up area: a gap in a row of houses, a corner plot, land behind existing homes (often called backland or tandem development) or a disused yard or garage court. Councils assess these sites against their design and character policies rather than as major housing allocations.
Can I build a house in my back garden?
Sometimes, but it always needs planning permission. In England, private residential gardens in built-up areas are excluded from the definition of previously developed land, and many councils have policies resisting garden development that would harm local character. A well-designed scheme with good access and limited overlooking stands the best chance.
How far apart do new and existing homes need to be?
There is no single national figure. Many councils set minimum distances between facing windows and to boundaries in their design guides, and these vary from one authority to the next. We check your council’s guidance at the start and test window positions in the 3D model, so the layout works before drawings are finalised.
What access does a backland plot need?
The drive must be wide enough for safe vehicle and pedestrian use, with room to turn where the council requires it. The Building Regulations also limit how far fire appliances and bin collection can be from a new home, which matters on long drives. We check these points at layout stage, before you commit to a design.
How does infill housing development design deal with neighbour objections?
By addressing the likely objections in the design itself. We test overlooking, daylight and outlook from neighbouring windows in 3D, keep heights and roof forms in step with the street, and show the results clearly in the application. Objections still happen, but they carry less weight when the drawings answer them.
Should I get pre-application advice for an infill site?
For backland plots, garden land and sites in conservation areas, it is often worth it. Pre-application advice tests the principle and the council’s concerns before you pay for a full application. Our pre-application advice service prepares and manages the request for you.
Does the Party Wall Act apply to infill sites?
Often, yes. Building on or near a shared boundary, or digging foundations close to a neighbour’s building, can require notices under the Party Wall etc. Act 1996. We show boundary and foundation positions clearly on the drawings so your party wall surveyor and engineer have accurate information to work from.
Have you designed homes on constrained plots before?
Yes. ArchEvolve’s feasibility work includes Mill Lane, a contemporary new build home on a constrained and technically demanding plot. You can see more examples in our portfolio. Each infill site is different, so we start with a review of your plot before recommending a design approach.
Frequently Asked Questions
Start Your Infill Housing Development Design Today
Free initial consultation for developers and landowners with a gap, corner or backland site anywhere in the UK.
